The Badge Archive

Basic Meeting Plans are designed to have minimal supplies and still hit the GSUSA Requirements. Most meetings can be done in a 90 minute time frame.

Items needed:

• Print out of U.S.A. Flag for every two scouts and one demo copy (It should be double sided for the folding activity to work the best) – NOTE: Many scouts want to take these home, and if you will allow that, have enough for every scout
• Printed copy of the US Air Force Academy American Flag Folding Ceremony
• (Optional) One Actual U.S.A. Flag
• (Optional) Printed copy of how to fold the U.S.A. Flag
• (Optional) Printed copies of Patriotic Song Lyrics.
• Device to play music from YouTube or downloaded copy of online video
• Paper and tape to make a large floor map
• Troop coloring supplies (markers, crayons, or colored pencils)
• Printed simple map of your town (you can print one from Google maps)
• Know the locations of at least three local landmarks in your town

Flag Folding

Info Needed: There is an official way to fold the U.S.A. flag. When it’s folded in this manner, it is in the shape of a tri-cornered hat – symbolizing the hats worn by colonial soldiers who fought for our freedom. The red and white stripes are wrapped up inside of the blue, symbolizing the light of day covered by the darkness of night.

Fun Activity: If you have a real flag, use that for the demo – if not, use the demo printed paper flag. Have one scout come up to help you demonstrate how to fold the U.S.A. Flag. Pair everyone in the troop up and give them a paper flag. You can hand out copies of how to fold the U.S.A. Flag OR demo it again, letting them follow you step by step.

(Requirement 1 Earned)

Marching

Info Needed: There is a proper way to march. When you march, you march to a cadence. Cadence is a music or song with a specific beat. That beat is what everyone matches in their movements. If you are ever in a ceremony or parade that requires marching, you need to do three things: Start the cadence while marching in place for a specific time. Move your arms and legs in a contralateral pattern (one side your arm is up when your leg is down, and the other side your arm is down and your knee is lifted). Move together with the same limbs in the up at the same time.

Fun Activity: Practice marching using a patriotic marching tune. The Liberty Bell, Stars and Stripes Forever, and The Washington Post March are good options.

(Requirement 3 Earned)

Note to Leaders – You can learn more about contralateral with diagrams on this website.

Sing a Marching Song

Info Needed: Marching also happens at camp, just not so formal. Singing a song as you walk and keeping step with the tempo is a time-honored camp tradition. There are patriotic songs you can march to as well – even the Star Spangled Banner. However, to stay respectful of our national anthem, it is considered impolite to move while the anthem is being played or sung so it is not typically used to march.

Fun Activity: Pick three patriotic songs appropriate for your troop and sing them together. Discuss which ones they think they could march to the best. They could practice marching while you sing if they are a very active troop. (You can use Patriotic Song Lyrics or your own songs.)

(Requirement 2 Earned)

Perform a Ceremony

Info Needed: Ceremonies are formal events intended to celebrate or honor something. We hold patriotic events to honor our nation or important people and events in our nation. The US Air Force Academy has a ceremony when folding the flag to honor the flag.

Fun Activity: Follow the Air Force flag folding ceremony or use it as a base to create your own.

(Requirement 5 Earned)

Landmark Map

Info Needed: Landmarks are objects or unique landscapes that are easily recognizable. The Golden Gate bridge is a landmark of San Francisco California. The Washington Monument is a landmark of Washington D.C. A landmark is easily seen and recognized and can help someone know where they are at.

Fun Activity: Tape paper together on the floor to create a large poster. Scouts use the printed local map for reference to draw the major roads for their town. As they draw have them think of what might be a landmark in their area. Wait to see what they come up with and offer the three you determined before the meeting if needed. When the major roads of the town are down, have them add the approximate locations of at least three landmarks.

(Requirement 4 Earned)

Meeting End

Scouts can sing songs and march or keep adding to the map until it’s time to go home.

General Notes

Note to Leaders – No Basic Plan compiled by The Badge Archive will earn multiple badges in one level. Part of being budget friendly is not costing more than the price of one official GSUSA badge per meeting.

Some badges will take two meetings to finish. This helps scouts enjoy activities and keeps the troop budget in mind by only needing one GSUSA badge for every two meetings. Troops may choose to get a fun patch for one of the meetings if scouts want a badge/patch for every meeting. Scouts can earn the fun patch if they only attend one meeting and get a fun patch and the official badge if they go to both.

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